Red Apple and Vivid Velvet
by Weaver the 8th
Summary: Maria's parents prayed it wasn't true, but their daughter ended up being a squib. Out of shame, and supposed mercy, they send their daughter to live in the muggle world with a squib named Ms. Gabbart. With her world crashing down around her Maria is left yearning to go back to the magical world. One day though, a strange white creature came to sit down for tea.


Through metal bars, past the window, the world looked gray with its rainy storm clouds blurring the world outside. The image of human like figures could be seen walking in front of the barred window, all hurrying away to their homes or work. Inside the playroom, with ivy green wallpaper, an eleven year old girl with long black hair sat before a small table with a plastic tea cup and pot, decorated with pale yellow flowers. Her hair cascaded down her face, obscuring her eyes as she sat morosely before the play set in front of her. As the rain pitter-pattered outside the room, she slowly lifted her head up and looked over at the room's doorway A girl that looked similar to her, but a few years older, stood in the doorway staring quietly at her. The older girl looked away apathetically and walked out into the hallway beyond.

"Thank you for taking her off our hands... I hope that you're prepared for taking care of a child. I'm not sure how you could live without any house-elves." A woman's voice echoed through the room, leading to the little girl to let her head drift back down.

An older woman's voice began to ring through out the room, in a far more cheerful tone then the woman speaking before. "No need to worry Mrs. Kaberline. Things aren't as archaic here as you might suspect. The muggle world has quite a few interesting things here. Like the telly, or those new things they've been making called Video Games. I actually rather enjoy those things."

"Of course Ms. Gabbart." the other woman's voice came out rather sympathetic sounding, like she was patting the older woman's head. "It's very commendable how you've made do in this magicless world. I'm sure that Maria will be very well behaved. She's such a brave girl... dealing with her..."

There was a soft mutter, which Maria couldn't hear. Her head lowered against the table though, and she choked down a sob from escaping her throat. Turning her eyes up to the table surface, which she was getting a good look at, she saw the shadows of people walk by without pause. While watching the shadows pass by, Maria began to raise her head off the table. Though the shadows continued on and on passing the table, she saw one shadow that remained stagnant; it looked like a cat sitting attentively. Quickly turning her head to the barred window she saw nothing there except the vague human shapes passing by it. Confounded Maria looked back to the table, which now only had the shadows passing over it again.

Maria kept looking down at the table, till the sound of someone clearing their throat reached her ears. Looking up to the doorway she saw Ms. Gabbart, with her oval glasses and frizzy white hair, solemnly looking at her. "Your... family will be heading off soon. Would you want to hurry off and wish them good bye?"

Maria looked down to her lap, and clenched her hands tightly. Getting up she walked, downcast, towards the door. Ms. Gabbart smiled reassuringly and walked Maria down towards a room where there was a sudden burst of green light. Maria looked up with a look of shock, her mouth dropping. She ran from Ms. Gabbart, who's own face looked horrified. Maria stopped at the entrance of the room and watched the coattails of her mother disappear into the chimney in a burst of green fire.

Ms. Gabbart hobbled over to the living room and looked over at the chimney with a look of disappointment, though the shock on her face had faded away already. Looking down to Maria she watched as the little girl's hands clenched onto the door frame so tightly she began to leave a groove in it thanks to her nails. Resting a hand on Maria's shoulder she sighed and shook her head. "It'll be all right... I know it hurts now. But things will get better." Ms. Gabbart watched Maria walk away to the playroom and shut the door. Nodding her head she walked down the hall to her own room. "Take all the time you need..."

The room grew darker and darker as Maria lay by the little table in the playroom. Her face covered by her hair as she slept quietly upon the floor. There was a blanket placed upon her, an old looking one with little blue roses stitched at the edges of it. The sound of rain continued on as it had earlier that day, drowning out the sound of soft footsteps that slinked over to the table. A strange white creature with red markings jumped on top of the table, and then crept over to the side Maria was on, without upsetting the toy cup or pot. Sitting down like the shadow from earlier it looked down at her with its tail twitching about.

Lightning suddenly crashed near by and caused Maria to wake with a start. Holding her chest, her heart pounded as she looked over at the window, the little creature having disappeared. The door to the play room swung open with Ms. Gabbart looking in panicked. "Are you all right?" Ms. Gabbart walked over to Maria and sat down beside her.

Maria nodded her head, though she was shaking a bit. "Yeah... the lightning just startled me is all." Running a hand through her hair she looked over to the window where she saw strange the white creature out in the rain. It's tail twitched about as it looked in at her with its red eyes. Blinking confusedly, Maria looked to Ms. Gabbart. "What kind of animal is that out the..." When Maria turned back to the window the creature had disappeared. "It's gone..."

Ms. Gabbart looked over to the window and cocked her head. Getting up slowly, she headed over to the window and peered past its bars out into the torrential rain outside. "What did it look like?"

"It was white... and it looked a bit like a cat." Maria then motioned to her ears than made a stretching motion. "It had cat ears, and I think floppy rabbit ears coming out of the cat ears. It also had red eyes... and some red markings on its fur."

Glowering out the window, Ms. Gabbart turned back to Maria and smiled warmly at her. "I've not heard of any such creatures in the muggle world, or even the wizarding one. No worries though dear. If it is from this place it should just be a regular animal. Now, why don't you run along to your room?" Nodding her head, Maria began to rub her eyes. Grabbing her blanket, she dragged it with her to her new room. Once Maria disappeared, Ms. Gabbart began to frown and looked back out into the rain.

Opening the door to the house, Ms. Gabbart looked to the street across from her, which had tightly packed house, just like her side of the street. While staring out into the rain she saw something sitting across from her. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Putting back on her glasses all she could see was an evanescence of a feline like figure.

Frowning she grabbed her umbrella, from the nearby rack, and headed out into the storm. With nothing but her slippers, nightgown, and raincoat, Ms. Gabbart walked over to the faded image and looked down at it. It stretched its back out like a cat, then began walking down the street as if nothing odd was going on. "What manner of creature are you?" Ms. Gabbart asked it as it continued stretching. It looked back at Ms. Gabbart with its illusive head, and then fell onto its back like a cat would. Ms. Gabbart couldn't help but smirk at the strange ghostly image as it rolled about as if for attention.

Once she entered back into the house, Ms. Gabbart headed back to her room, a feeling of content in her soul. As she headed down to her room, after hanging up her wet slippers in her bathroom, she fell into bed. Oblivious to the white creature that walked past her room. Its tail twitched about as it looked around the house. With its small paw it opened the play room to discover no one in it anymore. At the window was another creature like itself who quickly bounded away. With an unchanging expression, the strange creature continued to search around the house.

Pushing open a room with a smiling flower on its front, the creature peered in and saw Maria wrapped in her covers surrounded by stuffed animals of varying species and coloration. On padded feet, it crept over to the girl's bed and leapt in. Situating itself amongst her stuffed animals it sat waiting for an unknown reason. Maria gently breathing without any understanding of the intruder in her room. There was a quieter rumble from the sky, and all became silent in the house.


End file.
